2015 New Quilt Bloggers

Hi everyone and welcome to Up*It*Is Quilts! I was incredibly excited to be selected to participate in this initiative with a group of people who are so creative and talented. Being new to this, I have found it invaluable learning from others and getting insights into how to make this site work. Fortunately for me, we have all decided to keep our “support group” of New Quilt Bloggers going as we each support each other in connecting our passions in quilting to technology.

This is my week to post and the first post will be an introduction to myself. I will post daily for this week of the Blog Tour but do not worry if you follow me my goal is simply weekly to biweekly posts! I promise not to inundate you – now, if you follow me on instagram (@kupitis), that is a whole ‘nother story…!!

So About Me

This picture says it best. I am lucky enough to have reconnected with my high school sweetheart and we got married during what turned out to be a natural disaster in 2013. We are together much of the time and you will find me referring to Geoff as my DH (Dear Husband) as he puts up with my fabric ” messes ” – tours quilt shops with me – watches our crew of four kidlets while I am off to sew… I think (know) he is a keeper, especially since he made a bet with me over a longarm for our wedding anniversary #helpagirlgetalongarm and I won! So this Friday my Millie APQS should be arriving! (Anticipated arrival date) and you bet I will be posting pictures of setting up!

The wedding picture above shows what I live. I believe in finding something to laugh about everyday. Find something good in each day and something to be grateful for. At dinner, we sit with the kids and go around the table with each person saying what the best part of their day was, and one thing they are thankful for. No matter how bad the day was I feel that is so important. Life is short. We don’t know how short it will be. So laugh everyday, show love to your friends and family, and most definitely sew everyday!

Favorite quilts from the past year

Part of my Blog assignment is to show you pictures of my three favorite quilts from the past year.

My first has to be my improv quilt for the Michael Miller Fabric Challenge I made for QuiltCon 2015. I submitted it under the wire, which is very much me – I will admit I have what is called “deadline addiction”, and I will blame my first profession, journalism, being the root of this.. (okay okay maybe I am actually built this way..). This was the first quilt (other than a baby minky & rag time quilt) that I had ever done and finished about 80×90. So I was just proud to finish on time and then stunned when it was accepted into the show. I had to finish it on my daughter’s little sewing machine as my Bernina had broken down. DH had a hand in the submission as I was called into work when it all had to be submitted online – true team effort – then a beloved IG friend ended up mailing it in for me!

Here is September Dawn – I will post a picture of the entire quilt Tuesday my apologies the photo is on a different hard drive not my phone! I grabbed this picture of it someone else has actually posted on their site!

September Dawn close up – partial picture

I have gotten involved in quite a few swaps on IG this year so my other two quilts I am going to post I did for swaps. First is my Alison Glass Mini Quilt Swap. I combined Carolyn Friedlander’ s pattern with AG fabrics.

#alisonglassminiquiltswap

The next was my quilt for The Cotton and Steel mini quilt swap (one of my favorite fabric lines when not using solids or Tula!). I adapted The On the Bubble Quilt from @coopcrafts (IG handle) to create what I call my Mini On the Bubble Quilt. I had a lot of fun with this one and will post a tutorial for it on Tuesday.

Mini On the Bubble Quilt

Blogging Tip of the Day

Create posts when you have time and take advantage of the scheduling feature so that you can be consistent with posting (and prepared). Save as drafts, ensure you have your pictures added (which note I failed to do with one this time!) and release something of interest weekly or biweekly. You want to keep up interest but not overwhelm. This is my goal!

Quilting Tip of the Day

Mini Swoon Block for Modern Bee 2015

Working on this Mini Swoom Block with all the HSTs I always cut my squares just a bit larger (by 1/8″) and sewed with a scant 1/4″ seam. This gives some “wiggle room” and I also press my seams open and pin pin pin. And pin some more for perfect points. Doing this block also had me finally “mark” my sewing machine with Washi tape for the 1/4″ line. I have never done this before and well , I so wish I had done this long ago!

I will post a new tip each day this week and more projects/tutorials. Tell me what types of projects you would like to see? As well, would any health and lifestyle pointers be welcome? I am often asked as I practice Medicine (as my day to day, and many a late night, job!).

Lastly, I leave you with a picture of myself- I am blonde; but, this is when I decided to surprise my DH with strawberry highlights last fall. And yes, he actually noticed!

Kathryn Upitis (aka Dr. Kathryn Dundas)

Tomorrow some random fun facts about me to help you to get to know more about myself and my quilting.

Until then!

K.

Sewcial Swarm

Please be sure to visit the other members of my 2015 New Quilt Bloggers swarm to see what they are up to. We are the anchors of this tour!

thank you Jayne – I just told DH you mentioned BOLD – I had not thought of that but you are right and if you can believe it I chose the motto for our family to be : Fortune Favors the Bold (I made a family crest and we have the motto in Latin). I do like Bold, so I am glad that comes through. K

Now I remember how I first came across you Instagram. I’m so happy you’re finally about to receive your longarm. It’s such an exciting moment… well, I’m sure it is when it doesn’t arrive two days before you move cross country and it gets set up for you. Maybe once you’ve been playing around with your own you can write some health and safety directions for it. I haven’t sewed through a finger yet (although I have many friends who have) but I always end up leaning in way too close. Or maybe I’m fresh off stabilizing a quilt, and is that ever much more difficult than it looks?! I wish you and your new machine every happiness together.